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GRASSROOT; FOUNDATION OF SPORTS AND ATTRACTION OF – JOHN ENOH..

Published

3 years ago

December 3, 2023

Felicia Mammah Nwokorie

The Administration of the Honorable Minister of Sport’s Development Sen. John Owan Enoh has started rejuvenising the sport’s sector since his assumption of duty. He is a man whose wisdom is xtrayed from his gentle way of studying his environment and cases before execution of profitable projects that are business oriented and beneficial to both sports and the government. Senator Enoh has already commenced the inspection of Zonal Stadia facilities and familiarization visits to State’s Governors.

His interest to make the grassroots his priority and most developed with the replacement of aging athletes and trained substitutes in all the sports federations is already attracting the needed professionalism in sports practicality and continuity. He has seen the dear need for more supportive atheletes in all the sports feilds that will at anytime, answer the clarion call of the government for representation during championships. He is also, scouting for managers of sports activities that will readily produce qualified and wanted atheletes.

Above all his hopeful vitalization of the sports sector for transparent administration, the Minister’s signature pointer gears towards involving stakeholders that will be highly independent on the government and are both idea oriented and selflessness in their contribution to youth development. His body language could also, be interpreted to mean engaging organisations that can be reckoned with or personalities that are realistic naturally and not political.

   Sen. Enoh sees most youths who are particularly his case study, as being motivated by characters that made sports highly acceptable globally and envious to other professions. Sports is now a dream profession whose growth spreads like the Corona-Virus and AIDS. It has become the love of dwellers in both the urban and rural communities that even a nonentity knows, speaks and plays sports no matter the hunger in the land.

However, the love of sports is so significant that it can bind two together and at the same time, tear two apart. Not only is it a binding unit for peace and harmony, it’s strong love from people can also course divorce among two binding forces If not properly managed. The strength of sports does not easily accept character of a person but it rather changes a person’s character. It is not only an area that promotes quick fame but one of the easiest avenue to be enriched despite the physique. Sports is a very natural hidden central bank where talents are seen to the glory of nature.

Senator Enoh even though not s footballer or athlete, hopes to be a discoverer of this natures own Divine talented field where success spreads to families especially the less privileged that have the ability and needs only an opportunity to be among the privileged. His profession as a teacher, is for-seen probably as the reason that necessitated nature’s choice for his placement where youths abilities are domiciled. Senator Enoh may look short sighted in appearance but honestly, his comportment and analogy in interaction exposes his in built long sightedness; in life ahead of tomorrow’s dream.

A marvelous and good commending step he has taken since assumptions of duty to understand the Terrain of sporting background and requirements needed for success in the sector unlike other power drunk past ministers that on assumption of duty immediately, starts with allocation of funds to unfore seen projects, and quick quest to acquire blue passport that will take them around the world for both unqualified and qualifying trails of sporting events.

The Honorable Minister whose body gesture, steps, spoken words, respected personality, relaxation and smile sums richness, can not be described as an unfortunate millionaire of doom. Presidents of Sports Federations, Stake Holders, Business Partners and Governors in particular who have come in contact with him, have seen in him a true representation of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as well as a detribalized and selfless politician. Sports involves youth that cut across sex, tribe , religion, faith and destinies thus, the need for a neutral heart minded leader that will collaborate with all other party leaders to sponsor sporting activities and support the need to disengage youths from destructive involvements.

All the political parties belong to Nigeria and all the youths are from the homes of different political leaders. They have at different periods given to politicians and need politicians to oil their excelling hope.

Felicia Mammah Nwokorie
Press – Sports

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Strategic Partnerships, Diaspora Investment and Improved Workforce Critical to Industrialization-DG RMRDC

Published

2 days ago

November 12, 2026

The Gleamer

By: Stella Azi and Adaora Adibe

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has called for a strategic shift from the exportation of raw commodities to domestic processing, manufacturing and value addition, declaring that Nigeria possesses enormous untapped raw material resources capable of driving industrialisation, creating jobs and strengthening the country’s economic competitiveness.

Prof. Ike-Muonso made this submission in a lecture titled Unlocking Nigeria’s Raw Material Value Chain for Industrialization, Manufacturing and Competitiveness, where he presented an extensive assessment of Nigeria’s resource endowments, industrial challenges and emerging investment opportunities across agricultural commodities, solid minerals and waste-based raw materials.

The lecture highlighted a combined US$2.65 trillion global market opportunity across 30 major raw material value chains, comprising 12 agricultural value chains valued at US$932 billion, 11 mineral value chains worth US$1.352 trillion and seven circular-economy value chains estimated at US$366 billion.

According to the RMRDC Boss, Nigeria must move beyond the traditional approach of extracting and exporting raw materials to building competitive domestic industries that transform these resources into intermediate products, industrial inputs and finished goods for local consumption and international markets.

He observed that the country’s manufacturing sector has struggled to sustain its 2014 peak, with its contribution to real Gross Domestic Product declining from 9.64 per cent in 2014 to 8.05 per cent in 2025, representing a 16.5 per cent decline. He also drew attention to the increasing cost of raw material imports, which rose to US$20.5 billion in 2025, approximately six times the 2020 level.

He explained that the growing dependence on imported industrial inputs exposes Nigerian manufacturers to foreign exchange volatility, increases production costs and weakens the competitiveness of locally manufactured products.

Prof. ke-Muonso stressed that the solution lies in developing domestic raw material value chains through deliberate investment in processing facilities, research and development, technology, infrastructure and stronger linkages between producers, processors and manufacturers.

He identified agriculture, solid minerals and industrial waste as three major resource platforms for Nigeria’s industrial transformation, stating the country’s significant production capacity and the enormous opportunities available for downstream processing.

Ike-Muonso noted that Nigeria produces over 63 million metric tonnes of cassava annually, making it the world’s largest producer, while also maintaining strong positions in cocoa, cashew, sesame, palm oil and cotton. However, more than 80 per cent of agricultural output leaves farms without adequate processing, resulting in the loss of significant economic value and industrial opportunities.

In the solid minerals sector, he identified more than 44 commercially viable minerals across over 500 locations, including lithium, gold, barite, bitumen, iron ore and high-grade limestone, describing them as strategic resources capable of supporting steel production, energy storage, electrification and advanced manufacturing.

The DG further drew attention to Nigeria’s industrial and agro-waste resources, noting that the country generates over 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually. He explained that agricultural residues, cassava peels, scrap metals, plastics and electronic waste could serve as important feedstock for bio-fertilisers, industrial chemicals, recycled polymers, energy production and other manufacturing applications.

In the agricultural sector, the DG identified cassava and industrial starch, cotton and natural textiles, natural rubber and elastomers, oil palm and oleochemicals, maize derivatives and cocoa processing as priority areas requiring increased investment.

He explained that processing agricultural commodities into industrial starch, sweeteners, textiles, technical rubber, specialty fats and other intermediate products would enable Nigeria to capture more value from its agricultural resources while reducing dependence on imported industrial inputs.

For the minerals sector, he highlighted crude oil-to-olefins and petrochemicals, lithium and energy storage, iron ore and steel, rare earth elements, bauxite and aluminium, and copper and electrification as strategic investment opportunities.

He particularly emphasised the importance of moving beyond mineral extraction into beneficiation, refining, battery precursors, industrial chemicals, metal fabrication and advanced materials production.

On the circular economy, Prof. Ike-Muonso identified electronic waste recovery, scrap metal recycling, plastic waste processing, agro-waste valorisation and battery recycling as emerging industrial opportunities.

He explained that transforming waste into productive industrial feedstock would not only reduce environmental pollution but also create new manufacturing industries, generate employment and reduce the importation of valuable industrial materials.

He noted that to address the structural challenges confronting raw material-based industrialisation, the DG highlighted the strategic interventions of the RMRDC, particularly the proposed 30% Value Addition Bill and the Nigeria Integrated Information Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISSRAMP).

He described the 30% Value Addition Bill as an important policy instrument designed to encourage domestic processing of raw materials before export, strengthen local manufacturing capacity and guarantee access to essential raw materials for Nigerian industries, and NISSRAMP as a critical data infrastructure that would improve access to verified information on the availability, location and quality of raw materials.

According to him, the combination of appropriate policy instruments and reliable resource data would help de-risk investments, improve transparency and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration among government, academia and industry in developing bankable projects, sharing investment risks and accelerating the establishment of processing and manufacturing facilities.

Professor Ike-Muonso called on Nigerians in the diaspora and other local and international investors to take advantage of the opportunities available in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He identified industrial processing parks, mineral beneficiation and refining, agro-industrial platforms, circular-material processing, industrial input manufacturing and enabling infrastructure as viable investment platforms.

He noted that diaspora investors could contribute beyond financial capital by bringing technology, international business networks, governance standards, technical expertise and access to global markets.

He maintained that Nigeria’s industrial transformation requires coordinated investment across the entire value chain, from raw material sourcing and aggregation to processing, manufacturing, certification and export development.

Professor Ike-Muonso stressed that the country’s industrial future would depend not merely on the volume of raw materials extracted but on the capacity to transform them into competitive products that meet domestic and international market requirements.

He maintained that developing local value chains would stimulate industrial growth, create employment opportunities, diversify exports, conserve foreign exchange and deepen Nigeria’s technological capabilities.

Through its strategic interventions, the RMRDC is positioning itself as a critical bridge between resource availability, investment opportunities and industrial competitiveness, with the ultimate objective of transforming Nigeria from a predominantly raw material exporting economy into a strong manufacturing and value-adding nation.

Ike-Muonso has demonstrated this since assumption of office as the Director General/ CEO RMRDC in the area of capacity building, improved working conditions, promotion of merit, and maintaining a conducive environment that rewards excellence, innovation and dedication. This is evident in his institution of RMRDC training school, reward for winners of the RMRDC innovation challenge among others.

His commitment has brought recognition both nationally and internationally: Al-Jazirah double honour awards as Public Servant /Government Agency of the year 2024-2025 and the recent election as the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Representative on the Board of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) is a attestation to his commitment.

Concluding the lecture, the DG charged staff, researchers, manufacturers and investors to see themselves as nation builders in the new era of raw materials-led industrialization.

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